Steer Skull Symbolism

The bleached skull of a steer is a potent and enduring symbol of the American West. In countless movie and television Westerns, steer skulls embody the desolation and dangers of the desert where death by dehydration threatens the lonely cowboy.

Function in Paintings

Many artists have painted steer skulls, drawn by the purity and complexity of the form as well as by associations with death and what remains behind.